Animal Instinct
by Mouse-size-Dragon
Summary: AUyr5 After LV's rebirth the Slytherin 7-5yr parents spent the summer introducing their children to him. The Malfoys are hosting for the winter hols, Draco doesn't like how LV affected the others and to avoid the Manor tests a potion still under research.


**Disclaimer: **I own none of this Harry Potter stuff; anything you recognize from the books or the movies is not mine. I can only claim the potion, the antidote, and Andy (but he's totally un-important –don't even know what he looks like).

**AN:** None of this is Betaed; I'm the only one who's edited it so sorry for any mistakes.

Chapter 1: Experimenting

_**Alma-Animus Oblier**_

_Haven't mastered your animagus form yet?_

_Just want to escape the responsibilities of being human for a while?_

_- Lose yourself to your inner animal -_

_Settle your affairs for the moment and forget all about your boring everyday life. This potion is guaranteed to help you lose yourself in the joys of your animagus form. You'll stay transformed until you drink the antidote._

_**Caution**__: We are not liable for any confusion, unsatisfactory forms, lost time, misplaced persons, memory loss, deaths, or other mishaps while transformed. _

Draco stared hard at the bottle of silvery purple potion in his hand. Through the clear glass he could see swirling shades, hints of red and blue, dancing through the rich purple potion. The handwritten tag tied to the neck of the vial was just a preliminary advertising description. A second potion, in an identical round bottle with a short thin neck, a bright toxic looking green with shimmering golden undertones that was merely labeled _**Antidote**_, rested in the wooden box open before him. His pen pal, supplier or business associate really as they only ever spoke potions, had sent him the box containing the two potions this morning. Finally, just in time for the winter break, he had his escape straight from the source. Best of all, no one would notice he was missing until possibly the end of the break and even then no one would know where, or more accurately what, he was.

It had taken a lot of research and money to acquire this. Not only was it both expensive and difficult to make, but the potion was also a still recent discovery by an obscure American Potions _Apprentice_. Before it could become widely known of, or even acknowledged among Potions Masters, the results of the potion had to be further tested and documented. In return for the potion Draco had to both accept any consequences or side effects without reparation, no suing if he ended up damaged or traumatized, and record all the effects of the potion for the researcher's notes.

It might have still been experimental but the preliminary research had proven it was safe to take and had no apparent ill side effects. Of course Andy had only tested his invention in a laboratory setting for short periods of time, giving the testers the un-transforming solution after only a few minutes. Draco would be the first one to test the long lasting effects of the potion. He had told Andy of his plan to avoid going home for the holidays and two weeks was an awful lot longer than two minutes. Still, what better excuse was there than an experimental potion 'gone wrong'? There was no way he was going home to potentially meet and proclaim his devotion to the newly resurrected Dark Lord as his father had hinted.

Yes he promoted pureblood supremacy ideology and was vocal about his hatred of mudbloods, but he'd seen what the Dark Lord did to people. Nott was always a bit of a loner but nobody had even heard him speak since the beginning of the summer, since before his parents 'introduced' him to their lord. Blaise, Draco's roommate this year, had nightmares almost every night of the few meetings he'd been to over the summer. When he'd forgotten the silencing charms around his bed Draco had been woken by Blaise screaming and, even worse, crying. Slytherins were proud, cunning, and sly; they never broke down or revealed weak emotions like that to anyone. The Dark Lord destroyed his year mates' confidence, those who'd met him, in a way Draco couldn't stand. Turning back to the box he reread the note that came with it.

_ Really Draco, be careful and take notes, I want to know everything that happens. I know you said you've been studying the animagus transformation process but since you haven't mastered the transformation yet you'll need the antidote, we've found that if someone who has mastered the transformation takes the potion they can transform back without the antidote. Of course if they can transform whenever they want on their own they don't need this in the first place. _

_ Also have you got any ideas for the name of the potion? I can't just keep calling the restorative potion 'the antidote' either, it's not like I've created a poison! I'm working variations off of forgetting and 'soul animals' like a combination of animagi and forgetting about responsibilities. Of course variations of the potion could be used for things like Auror surveillance or escaping tough situations too, but I was thinking of a wider market. What do you think?_

_ Good luck, write me when you can. -Andy_

It was an excellent cover; even his father couldn't fault Draco for his part in this research. Draco was good at potions and if he wanted to become a Master, even though he would be serving the Dark Lord like his godfather Severus, he needed to make connections in the community. The true geniuses that could afford to work alone were few; Severus was one of them, although his intolerance of others might play a larger role. Not even Nicholas Flamel had worked alone; Dumbledore had helped with some of his research, as had his wife and a few apprentices over the years. In what could be passed off as efforts to become well connected and curry future favors Draco had agreed to take this experimental potion that not only transfigured one into their animagus form but also attempted to combine effects from memory and cheering potions to give the drinker freedom from their daily worries and responsibilities. When he came back after the hols Draco could claim that the effects had been too strong and he'd been overwhelmed by careless cheerful feelings, or something. Either way a potions experiment gone wrong was an acceptable excuse for missing the meetings at the Manor this winter.

Tightening his grip on the bottle Draco popped out the cork and poured the potion into a small flask, placing the empty bottle back in the box minus the tag and the note. Even if they snooped through his things no one would know what he'd taken unless he told them; the box was unmarked and without the label all there was to see was an empty bottle next to the green potion labeled **Antidote**, only he knew what it was the antidote to. Everything was packed for the start of the break and the train ride tomorrow, Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco were the only fifth year Slytherins going home. Nobody who didn't have to wanted to go home incase their parents were invited to any of the Malfoy's Holiday Gatherings, otherwise known as the Death Eater meetings in less mixed company. Neither one of those oafs would notice if Draco slipped away before boarding the train.

The other fifth, sixth, and seventh year boys had all already met the Dark Lord over the summer. It had been an 'oldest students first' sort of thing, girls didn't count because unless they approached him, like his insane Aunt Bella, the Dark Lord considered them weaker than males and unnecessary to Mark. They were seen as someone who came along with their husband, like a two-for-one deal. Which goes to show how foolish the Dark Lord was; he was beaten by James Potter's wife the first time around according to rumor, Aunt Bella and Mother were also examples of powerful witches, even Draco's best friend Pansy was a real harpy when crossed.

In fact all he really had to worry about was whether Pansy came to see him off, better say his farewells now to ensure she didn't. Placing the box in the bottom drawer of his nightstand, for easier access when he needed it about two weeks from now, Draco set out his clothes for tomorrow and walked out to the Slytherin common room. He had a best friend to say goodbye to.

* * *

It was odd at first, this not thinking about the future thing, but he was a cat now and cats didn't need to think any farther into the future than where the next warm spot or meal could be found. Actually the past wasn't too important to cats either. Why did he have two names anyway? What use were the names 'Draco' and 'Malfoy' to a cat like him? He didn't need names in the human language if he wasn't a human, and he didn't have one to feed him either. That tasty looking squirrel that chattered at him earlier had called him "strange furry white 'something-that-meant-housecat-in-squirrel'" so perhaps that was what he should be called. Animals didn't bother with things like names when descriptions and scents worked so much better.

Walking down a side street in Hogsmeade was a beautiful young cat that until yesterday morning had been a fifteen-year-old fifth-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Draco Malfoy. Looking somewhat like a Siamese in its markings the cat had a cream colored coat with a white mask, ears, and paws. He boasted a long soft coat, not quite as long as a Persian's coat the length was closer to that of a British Longhair, and grey eyes that were alert and intelligent. Less than twenty-four hours after he took the potion that turned him into his animagus form Draco Malfoy had almost completely forgotten his human identity.

He had the impression that there were things he should, or more accurately shouldn't, know; he didn't know why it made sense to be able to read the human writings but he could, even if the words meant nothing to him he could still read all the shop names which wasn't something most cats could do. As he passed a bright shop labeled 'Honeydukes' he found himself hungry and was filled with a faint bouncy energy. Further down the road a place called 'The Three Broomsticks' made him feel warm even though it was winter and he could smell snow on the wind. These things confused the cat so he pushed the feelings and distracting half-memories further back in his mind and continued to sniff out his lunch.

* * *

**AN:** This cat Draco seemed like a fun idea but I'm not really going to focus on it until after Going Wizard Again, because that story came first so it will be done first. I just want to know what people's thoughts are on this idea. Yes, there's probably so many animagi fics out there but how many have the wizard/witch(s) in question unable to actually transform, and unable to stay separate from their animal form or remember who they were? (I don't know the answer to that.)

I totally see Draco as a house cat: he might be a predator but he's a small one, finicky, self-absorbed (all cats secretly, and not so secretly, see themselves as the center of the universe), and would prefer to have people cater to his whims (feed him, pet him when he demands attention, actually do everything for him).

I imagine Draco to look like this kitty but with the described colouring: _http :/ www .eleveur .eu/ photos/ gd_ british _longhair_ 1. jpg_


End file.
